N-heterocyclic carbene catalyzed ring expansion of formylcyclopropanes: synthesis of 3,4-dihydro-alpha-pyrone derivatives.

N-Heterocyclic carbene catalyzed ring expansion of readily accessible 2-acyl-1-formylcyclopropanes was developed. With 5 mol % of triazolium salt 5 and 30 mol % of DBU, ring expansion of various 2-acyl-1-formylcyclopropanes led to 3,4-dihydro-alpha-pyrones in good to excellent yields.